Memories
by Hermerva
Summary: After Minerva is hit by Stunners in Hermione's fifth year she loses her memory. Can Hermione help her bring them back or will she never be the same person again?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My one and only disclaimer for the whole fic: These characters do not belong to me, they belong to JK Rowling. I just enjoy playing with them.

Now, this is something very out of my comfort zone. I'm not used to angst, but I'm going to do my best. This is from a prompt I was given by Reese123.

* * *

"No!"

The scream tore out of Hermione's throat before she could stop it. The four Stunners raced towards her mentor and there was nothing she could do about it. Harry grabbed her arm and it was only then she realized she had been poised to jump off the tower.

"Hermione, stop. You can't help her."

"Like Hell I can't, Harry Potter. Let me go!" With fire in her eyes, she fled the class, not stopping until she reached Professor McGonagall. Madam Pomfrey arrived at about the same time, having received several patronuses in regards to the Deputy Headmistress. Hermione fell to her knees next to the older woman opposite the Mediwitch.

Madam Pomfrey glanced up from her diagnostic spells. "Miss Granger, surely there is someplace else you should be."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I've finished my exams already. Please," her voice cracked as tears began to appear in her eyes. "Please let me stay and help."

With a huff, Madam Pomfrey nodded once, then stood and levitated Professor McGonagall to trail along behind her as she led the way back to the Infirmary. Hermione walked next to the professor, glaring at anyone who tried to get too close or slow Madam Pomfrey down with questions. With that being the case, they reached the Hospital Wing in record time. Hermione guarded the doors while the Mediwitch settled McGonagall onto a bed and continued to run diagnostics.

The only person Hermione allowed into the room was Dumbledore, partly because he was the only one brave enough to approach her. She leaned back against the door to listen after he went in.

"How is she, Poppy?" The soothing tone of the Headmaster's voice drifted out to Hermione, doing much to calm her and she was thankful he hadn't cast any silencing spells.

"I'm not sure, Albus. One Stunner is enough, but this…" She paused. "The damage looks quite extensive. As you can see here and here it's obvious that she was thrown quite a distance and landed hard. I've run every test I can think of. Unfortunately, we may need to send her to St. Mungo's."

Hermione inhaled sharply. "No."

"No, Poppy. I think it better if she stays here." Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief as Dumbledore continued. "She will be much more comfortable here in the castle, especially if she can be moved to her rooms."

"If you insist, but then we must at least have a Healer come to see her."

"I couldn't agree more." Without raising his voice, he continued. "Miss Granger, when you've finished terrorizing the school's population would you please come in?"

Face burning with embarrassment, Hermione opened the door and slid into the room. "Yes, Professor Dumbledore?"

The old man smiled down at her with the usual twinkle in his eye. "I wonder if you would mind very much sitting here with Minerva while Poppy and I go to take care of some things, in case she wakes up."

Hermione shot a nervous look at the door where, in her absence, multiple faces had appeared.

"Don't worry, my dear girl. No one will bother you in here." He waved his hand at the door and it shut and locked. "Look after my girl, alright?"

Hermione nodded with a small smile. It was just so obvious how much the Headmaster cared for his friend. She settled into the chair by Professor McGonagall's head, then began softly talking to her once she was sure they were alone. "Hello, Professor. It's Miss Granger. I know this probably seems a little odd, but Professor Dumbledore asked if I would stay with you for awhile in case you wake up. It's probably because he can tell I like you." She blushed. "Oh my, I mean, well, not like that. I, er, like you as my teacher, of course, but, oh bollocks." She groaned in frustration, her head falling into her hands. "I'm so glad you're not awake." Deciding to sit in silence for awhile, she picked up the magazine on the nightstand, Transfiguration Weekly, and read through it, even though she had already read the entire thing twice. After a few articles she wondered if McGonagall had been able to read it yet, so she began reading aloud.

* * *

It was like this that Dumbledore and Pomfrey found them later, Healer in tow, Minerva laying unconscious with Hermione reading to her about the latest in Animagus training.

"No changes, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked as the young Gryffindor finished the article.

"No, sir. She hasn't moved at all." Hermione stood to allow the Healer access.

"This is Healer McCallum. She's here to check on Professor McGonagall."

"Yes, thank you, Albus." McCallum brushed past all of the alert occupants in the room to stand by McGonagall's side. She glanced at Hermione. "You can go."

Hermione looked to Dumbledore who smiled. "She'll be alright, Miss Granger. Go on back to the tower. I'm sure your friends are dying to know what's happened."

With a grimace, Hermione nodded and left the Infirmary, only to be immediately accosted once she was through the doors.

"What happened?"

"Who was that witch?"

"Was she a Healer?"

"Were you hurt, too?"

Hermione leveled a glare at the nosy crowd, effectively silencing them. "Professor McGonagall was attacked by that evil pink witch and is suffering from the spell damage. She does not need visitors. So go away." With that, she walked away from the Hospital Wing and back to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

A week passed and Hermione hadn't heard anything about Professor McGonagall. She wasn't sure why it seemed to bother her so much, but everyday she thought about her mentor more and more. Finally, she decided to take matters into her own hands by going straight to Dumbledore.

She waited until she saw him leave the Head Table at breakfast. It was now or never, she knew, because this was the last day of term. She excused herself from her own table, receiving quizzical looks from Harry and Ginny. "I just need to go talk to Dumbledore about my OWLs since McGonagall isn't around." She felt bad for abandoning them, but her worry seemed to outrank everything else.

A flash of purple caught her eye and she grinned. Gotcha. She quickened her pace, trying to catch up, but at every turn she would only catch a hint of that fabric just disappearing around the next corner. She was quickly becoming frustrated and she was positive this wasn't the right direction to get to the Headmaster's office. She was just about to give up when she turned the corner and saw the fabric she'd been following. With a growl, she stomped over to its location and snatched it off the ground. Attached was a note.

My dear Miss Granger. I am very sorry to have tricked you, but I had pressing matters to attend to. Speak of lemon drops and more answers will be waiting.

"Lemon drops?"

"I'm so tired of hearing about that damn candy. You couldn't have picked something I've ever had?" Startled, Hermione looked up to see a portrait of Godric Gryffindor. "I'll be so ready for Minerva to make the passwords again." He looked down, only just realizing it wasn't Dumbledore who had spoken. "And who are you?"

"Hermione Granger, sir." She glanced down at the paper and scrap of fabric in her hands. "Am I supposed to be meeting Professor McGonagall or something?"

Godric's expression turned sad. "In a manner of speaking. Albus told me to make sure you got in alright, so, in you go." His portrait swing out towards Hermione and she stepped back, suddenly nervous. "Go on, Miss Hermione. The answers you seek lie within."

Hermione took a deep breath to calm her nerves, unsure what she even had to be nervous about, and stepped into the next room. She looked curiously about the study, still not certain what she was doing here. A large oak desk sat facing the window, giving whoever chose to sit there a beautiful view of the lake. Two comfortable looking chairs sat in front of the fireplace, a small coffee table nestled between them. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books. Hermione tore her attention away before she could get lost in the titles. It seemed odd that no one was around and she felt awkward just poking around McGonagall's private quarters.

She turned her attention back to the desk and noticed it was completely cleared off except for a folded piece of parchment addressed to her. She opened it hesitantly and read softly to herself.

Dear Miss Granger,

My apologies once again for my earlier deception, but know that I will come speak with you soon. Today, if possible, for there is much we need to discuss. As for your most pressing concern. Minerva is fine. She is, however, still in a coma. Healer McCallum has done her very best to heal her bodily injuries, but unfortunately there is nothing further she can do. Where the Stunners made contact there will always be scars. The only thing to do now is wait for her to wake up and see what else can be done for her.

I have allowed you entrance into Minerva's rooms because I trust you and I believe she does as well. Her room has no separate password, so you are welcome to go through. I once again remind you that she is not awake and she looks quite ill. I believe you to be mature enough to handle this situation.

We will speak soon.

With warmest regards,

Albus Dumbeldore

Hermione blinked back tears she hadn't even realized were forming. Professor Dumbledore was trusting her with more than just the knowledge of Professor McGonagall's condition, but also with access to her private quarters. But why? It doesn't make sense. She pocketed the letter and turned to the unopened door near the fireplace. Tapping into that famous Gryffindor courage, she closed the distance between them and opened the door, careful to remain as quiet as she could.

She needn't have bothered. The sole occupant of the room might as well have been a corpse. A sob caught in Hermione's throat as she took in the pitiful sight of her beloved professor. The once venerable woman seemed shrunken somehow. Her skin looked waxy and lifeless with hardly any color to be seen. Shallow breaths barely lifted a thin chest. Hermione stumbled to the bed on shaky legs, reaching for a hand that felt far too cold. Until this moment, Hermione had looked up to McGonagall as a stern teacher who wanted her cubs to succeed and a fierce witch who stood up for what she believed in. But that was only the beginning, she realized as she sobbed over the lifeless body before her. Now she knew that what she felt for the older witch went far beyond admiration. The mere thought of never being able to stare into those intelligent emerald eyes that sparked with amusement when Hermione answered a question with far more than the required information was more than the young woman stand and she dropped to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, still clinging to the woman she very likely loved.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you all so much for all of the kind words you've already sent my way about this story. I really appreciate it!

* * *

It took awhile for Hermione to compose herself, but the tears finally dried and she picked herself up from the floor to settle into the chair set near the head of the bed, obviously in place of the bedside table which had been moved a few feet to the left. Thinking back to when she first saw the castle she conjured a Patronus to inform Harry she wouldn't make it to lunch. She knew he would spread the word to everyone else. The same copy of Transfiguration Weekly that she'd started to read to Minerva -Minerva? No. McGonagall- sat on the nightstand next to the newest issue. She smiled at Dumbledore's thoughtfulness and picked up the earlier copy, continuing where she had left off.

She had just started on the latest issue when she heard somewhat of a commotion coming from the other room. Frowning, she set down the magazine and headed out. She was greeted by a slightly annoyed Headmaster stumbling past the portrait as it swung closed and hit him in the ass.

"And your mother, too!" He yelled at the back of Godric's portrait.

Hermione stared open mouthed at the man brushing dust off his robes with a smile on his face. He seemed to finally realize she was there and grinned even bigger. "Ah! Miss Granger! I see you made it in just fine." He grimaced theatrically. "I would like to apologize once more for the deception earlier, but I really did have important business I needed to attend to."

Hermione smiled shyly. "Thank you. I do appreciate you getting me in to see her. Although, she doesn't look much better."

Dumbledore sighed. "No, my dear. I'm afraid we still don't know exactly what's wrong or how we can help. That's actually something I want to speak with you about." He snapped his fingers, summoning two house elves. He quickly ordered a light lunch and then dismissed them. "Won't you have a seat?"

A brief look of annoyance flashed across Hermione's face at Dumbledore's curt dealing with the house elves, but she schooled her features quickly. "Of course. Thank you for ordering lunch. I hadn't realized how hungry I was getting."

They sat in silence for the food to arrive. Dumbledore thanked the elves who brought their lunch, then settled back into his chair. "What are your plans for the summer, Miss Granger?"

Startled, Hermione almost dropped the sandwich she had been about to bite into. "Er, I'm not sure yet, sir. I usually spend the summer studying my books for the next year, unless my parents have a trip planned. And you, sir?"

Dumbledore seemed amused to be asked. "Very similar plans for me, usually. Studying the books for next term." His eyes twinkled as he winked at her. "However, I believe this year will be quite a bit different as I am not sure what our teaching situation will look like." He glanced towards the door to McGonagall's bed chamber. "I will likely spend much of my summer discreetly searching for a possible replacement."

Hermione bit her lip, determined not to cry. "Is there anything I can do to help? Obviously I know I can't teach, but is there something I could assist with to get things ready for whoever might be taking over for Professor McGonagall?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" With a flourish, he pulled out a piece of parchment from his robes, accompanied by an envelope that was obviously of Muggle design. "I spoke with Poppy and she is still very upset that I refuse to let Minerva be transported to St. Mungo's and she insists Minerva needs round the clock care that she cannot provide. So, my question to you, Miss Granger, is if you would be willing to stay here in the castle for the summer. You would still have plenty of time to study, but you could do so while keeping Minerva company."

Hermione couldn't keep her jaw from dropping and she stammered as she tried to answer. "Oh! Um y-yes? Maybe? I, uh, I don't know?" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "Are you sure that's a good idea, sir? I wouldn't have any idea how to care for her. What if she wakes up? What about my parents?"

Another kind smile graced the old man's lips as he handed over the two items. "I've already spoken with your parents and they agree with me, but they did also write you a letter. Poppy has assured me she is still planning on caring for Minerva medically, but she can't sit with her often. I assure you, my dear, I have thought this through. All that we await now is your consent. Please think about it seriously, but I would very much like an answer by the feast tonight so that arrangements can be made."

"Yes."

"Don't you want to think about this?"

Hermione almost laughed. "No, I don't. If my parents have already agreed, and you're sure this is the best option, then I'm on board."

"Hmmmm…." Professor Dumbledore gazed over his half moon spectacles until Hermione squirmed. "Well then, I suppose that's settled. There is a guest room here in Minerva's quarters that you are welcome to use. If that isn't satisfactory I can easily set up the Head Girl room for you."

"The guest room here is fine, sir. Then I won't have to worry about moving my studies back and forth too much."

Professor Dumbledore regarded the young woman once more with a long look before seeming to make up his mind. "Very well. I believe you have already made friends with Godric out there, so I will allow you to make a password that fits you. Please let me know if there's anything I can get for you. Until then, would you allow me to assign a House Elf to bring your things to the room or would you prefer to move everything over yourself?"

Hermione thought for a moment, not really wanting to accept, but then she thought about all the extra books she had brought with her and gave in. "I think it would be alright to ask for their assistance."

Dumbledore snapped his fingers and an elf younger than Hermione was used to seeing appeared and she was amused to see very large multicolored socks over his ears. "Pippy, would you please go to Miss Granger's dorm room and retrieve her things? Then if you would bring them to the guest room here?"

Pippy smiled nervously. He had heard about this Miss Granger from some of the other elves, but she didn't seem all that crazy. "Of course, Albus sir. Can I bring you anything else?"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at the easy speech coming from the young elf, but before she could comment, Dumbledore answered him with a warm smile. "No, Pippy. That will be all. Thank you." Once the elf had winked out of sight, the older man turned back to Hermione. "I'm afraid he got into some of my old things and fell in love with my favorite pair of socks. Alas, I never got them back." Hermione giggled. "In the years following, as I continued to try and retrieve them, he must have picked up on my own grammar." He made a face. "Though I do believe it was only so he could mock me better."

At that, Hermione laughed out loud. She reached for a biscuit off the platter and settled back into her chair. "Back to the subject of school though, Headmaster. Since I will be staying here for the summer, is there anything special I should do to get ready for the new year? May I start on next year's work early?"

Albus laughed at the glint in the young girl's eyes as she discussed learning, a glint he was used to seeing displayed in emerald orbs. The thought sobered him as he was grounded back to why they were having the current discussion. "No, my dear. Nothing special will be needed. As soon as the professors make their finishing touches for the lesson plans I will make sure you receive the appropriate instructions. I may even be able to get you a trip to Diagon Alley." He paused. "Of course, the Transfigurations plans may take a little longer to put together. It's something I'll need to sit down and take care of soon. But worry not, you'll have plenty of time to get all of your coursework going." He flashed Hermione a brief smile that did not quite ignite the usual sparkle. "Now I really must leave. You still have a few hours before dinner so you can think up something to tell your friends. I must insist you not discuss the real reason you are staying behind."

Hermione nodded. "Of course. I can see how it would be detrimental for multiple people if word got out about Professor McGonagall. I can't even imagine the field day the press would have…" She trailed off as her gaze turned to the closed door behind which the older woman lay unconscious. "Would it be acceptable if I at least told them I was staying behind to work more closely with her concerning my interests in Transfiguration?"

Dumbledore nodded. "That would be acceptable." He stood, straightening out his robes. "I'll see you at dinner, Miss Granger. Until then." He bowed slightly before showing himself out of the den.

Hermione sat back in her chair, nibbling on a sandwich. She wasn't terribly hungry, but she knew she should eat something. A light pop startled her and she jumped up from her seat, still on edge after the events of the past year. Whipping out her wand, she slowly made her way to a second door she could have sworn wasn't there when she had arrived. Cautiously, she opened the door and stuck her head and wand in. Her eyes widened. Against the far wall was a huge four poster bed adorned with Gryffindor colors. Her trunk sat at the foot, open, and all of her clothes were hung up in a walk in closet. On the opposite wall of the closet was a massive bookshelf and she was pleased to note that her entire collection of books was already put away in exactly the order she would have put them in herself.

Pippy's head slowly appeared over the edge of the bed where he had hidden when he saw Hermione come in, wand out. "Hello, Miss. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten. Was just doing what Mister Albus asked."

He looked poised to hurt himself so Hermione quickly said, "Oh no, Pippy. It's alright. I just heard a noise and wasn't sure what was going on. I was sure this door hadn't been here before, so I was investigating." She looked around appreciatively. "Did you do all this yourself?"

Pippy nodded. "Yes, Miss. Is it okay?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "I couldn't have done a better job myself. And certainly not as quickly!"

Pippy grinned then. "Oh thank you! I'm very glad you like it!"

Hermione smiled. "Very much." She entered the room fully and sat on the bed, instantly marvelling at how comfortable it was. "Pippy?"

"Yes, Miss?"

"This room wasn't here, was it?"

Pippy grinned again. "No, Miss. Mister Albus made it appear for you so you would have a place to stay next to Mistress Minerva while she's sick." His grin fell. "I hope she is better soon."

"Me, too, Pippy." Hermione smiled sadly at the young elf. "Now, I think I'm going to take a quick nap before dinner. Thank you again for making this room up for me. I really like it."

Pippy smiled widely. "Very glad, Miss! Enjoy your nap!" And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone and Hermione was left alone with her thoughts about the upcoming summer until she fell, exhausted, into a fitful nap.

* * *

Hermione woke some hours later, languidly stretching. It had felt good to sleep off some of the grief. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood, quickly transfiguring her robes into a clean set for dinner. Tonight she would need to sit down with her boys and tell them her plans for the summer, that she would be staying here to study more closely with Minerva because she wanted to pursue a Transfiguration Mastery once she finished school. She wasn't entirely sure they would believe her, but then again, it's not like they had ever bothered looking into the requirements for Masteries.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Hermione left Minerva's outer rooms and headed to the Great Hall. She quickly located Harry and Ron near the middle of the Gryffindor table and squeezed between them, happy to be near her boys.

"Oh, hey 'Mione." Ron managed to get out around a mouthful of potatoes. He swallowed. "What's up?"

Hermione smiled as she reached out to full up her plate. "Well, I actually have something to tell you all." She purposefully paid more attention to her food than her friends, not wanting them to see the lie in her eyes. "I'll be staying at the castle over the summer. Dumbledore has asked me if I'd be interested in some extra learning for a Mastery apprenticeship and I am very excited to get started learning more."

She finally looked up after she finished and was amused to see that both Harry and Ron were staring open-mouthed at her. On the other hand, Ginny looked pleased.

"That's great, Hermione." The younger redhead stated. "I'm happy you're pursuing something that makes you happy."

Hermione grinned thankfully. "Thanks, Ginny. I appreciate that. I'm very excited."

Ron finally came to his senses. "You're voluntarily staying at school over the summer?"

Harry closed his gaping mouth. "That's great, 'Mione! I mean, if that's what you want to do, go for it."

Ron turned his flabbergasted expression towards Harry. "Seriously, mate?"

"Yes, seriously. She needs something to challenge her. You know, since she can't take a bunch of classes anymore like she used to. This will be amazing!"

Hermione beamed at Harry, then turned to Ron. "It's not like I won't have time to write, you know. I'm sure McGonagall won't keep me too busy."

Ron glumly turned back to his plate. "I just thought maybe we could spend some time together this summer."

"Oh." Understanding hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. "Well, I don't think I would have been able to anyway. My parents are planning on being on holiday, so if I had been with them I also would have been out of the country almost the whole summer. How about we meet up at Diagon Alley and get our books together?"

Ron perked up a little at that and the conversation turned to what everyone else would be doing over the break. Hermione was happy they would be staying in touch with each other and that they were happy for her. She hugged both of them and Ginny, saying she would see them in no time, made her way over to the Ravenclaw table to say goodbye to Luna, then escaped from the Great Hall, intent on making it to Minerva's rooms without being noticed by anyone.


	3. Chapter 3

Again I would like to thank you all for reviewing this fic and making a girl feel all sorts of special. I do plan on continuing to write on this, but I'm having surgery soon on my wrist, will make it pretty difficult to get it written quickly, especially when added in to my schoolwork.

But I hope you enjoy!

Oh, also, I added a bit more to the end of Chapter 2, so if you're interested, feel free to read the extra hundred or so words. It's not much, but I feel like it wrapped up the chapter a bit better.

* * *

The next few weeks passed quickly for Hermione. She spent most of her mornings exploring the castle and getting to know Madam Pince a little better in the library. Lunch became a favorite pastime as most of the staff would join her in the Great Hall. What Hermione liked best about this was that they all sat around a large circular table so everyone could easily carry on a conversation with one another. The thrill of speaking with so many intelligent people everyday in such a casual setting made Hermione practically giddy, the only downside being the empty seat that Albus left open to his right.

Just in case.

Evenings at Hogwarts were spent in her joint quarters with Minerva. She would work on whatever schoolwork she felt to be the most demanding of her attention at a small desk she had transfigured out of one of Minerva's nightstands so she could keep an eye on the older woman and continue reading to her. And if she was being honest with herself, it was simply nice to be close to her.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much to keep an eye on. There had been no change.

Poppy would come by often to make sure that nutrients were making it into Minerva's system, but Hermione could see the dwindling hope in her sad, blue eyes. The young brunette refused to lose hope herself. She was sure that Minerva would be fine. She _had_ to be fine.

Towards the end of June Albus summoned Hermione to his office. She sat across from him, nervous.

"There's no need to be nervous, Miss Granger." He said with a kindly smile. "Unless you don't enjoy learning."

Hermione perked up. "Learning what, sir?"

He laughed lightly and pulled out a stack of parchment. "These are lesson plans from previous years for Transfiguration. I would like to ask you if you can help make plans for next term, just in case."

Hermione nodded solemnly. "Of course, sir. Are you planning on teaching?"

He grimaced. "I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm not sure I'm still suited to the task."

"I think you would do just fine, sir."

Albus' eyes twinkled over his half- moon spectacles. "And I think you're a flatterer." She blushed, but before she could respond he continued, "I was actually hoping you might be willing to assist with some of the younger classes. Maybe First through Third Years? I have an idea for an Apprenticeship program for the students who have a particular aptitude for certain subjects. Specifically Sixth Years, because I don't want to overburden Seventh Years studying for their N.E.W.T.s."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, sir! I'll be more than happy to help in any way I can."

"I was hoping you would say that. I would say you know your fellow classmates better than I. Would you please match students to subjects they excel at? I could do it just by marks, but I want a more personal approach. I will also be getting feedback from the staff. Then I will look over the list and make the final selections. After they've been chosen I will send invitations to those students to come back to the castle two weeks before the start of term."

Hermione nodded absentmindedly, the wheels already turning behind dark chocolate eyes as she thought seriously about who would be best paired with, not only each subject, but also each professor. "May I ask who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year? It will help with my suggestions."

"Severus Snape will be taking over that post." He seemed to ignore her startled expression. "And I have asked an old friend to come back and teach Potions. Horace Slughorn."

Deciding it was better not to make a scene, Hermione nodded. "Thank you. I will get this back to you by this evening."

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."

Hermione took that as a dismissal and stood, heading for the door.

"And Miss Granger?" She turned to look at the Headmaster. "Thank you for also not giving up hope.

That evening, Hermione sat at her makeshift desk next to Minerva and began working on the list for Dumbledore. She had a fair idea who would be best paired with each subject, but she would need to do some research on this Professor Slughorn. She was maybe halfway through the list when the hairs on the back of her neck bristled. She was being watched. She looked up from the desk, on edge, but saw no one else in the room with her.

"Pippy?" She called out timidly, hoping the young elf had snuck in to check on her, as he tended to do when she missed dinner.

"I dinnae think so."

The Scottish brogue nearly caused Hermione to topple out of her seat. Sharp brown eyes flew wide open in surprise as her head snapped to stare at the woman laying in bed, emerald eyes open and confused. "Minerva?"

A slow, uncertain smile spread on thin lips. "Aye. That sounds much nicer."

Hermione fainted.

She came to only a few moments later and looked up into startled and concerned green eyes.

"Are ye alright, lass?" Although weak, Minerva had managed to pull herself to the edge of the bed to peer over the side.

Hermione stood up too quickly and had to grab ahold of the desk as her head swam uncomfortably. "Yes," she croaked. "How are you feeling? Oh, that's a stupid question. I need to contact Pomfrey and Dumbledore and-" Her rambling was halted abruptly by a cool hand covering her own. Immediately she calmed. "I'm sorry, Professor."

"Whatever for?"

"For not keeping a cool head." Hermione flashed a quick smile, then took out her wand to send a patronus to the aforementioned adults. She turned her attention back to the woman who was still staring at her in confusion.

"Now, I dinnae mean to sound ruse, and I am certainly not averse to having a beautiful woman in my bedroom, but I generally like to know their name."

Hermione's heart plummeted. "You don't know who I am?"

Minerva frowned. "No, I don't. Your voice sounds very familiar though. It's pleasant."

Despite the circumstances, Hermione blushed. "My name is Hermione Granger. I'm your teacher's assistant here at Hogwarts." She was unsure why she omitted the fact that she was a student, though subconsciously she must have known it would make Minerva uncomfortable to have a student in her room.

"Oh? Is _that_ where I am?" Minerva took in her surroundings. "And I don't suppose you could tell me who _I _am, could you?"

Hermione fought the tears that sprang to her eyes. "Yes." She cleared her throat. "Your name is Minerva McGonagall, Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Deputy Headmistress."

An unsure smile crept into Minerva's face. "Sounds like I usually know what I'm doing. Hmmm… Professor... I wouldn't happen to teach Transfiguration, would I? I'm pretty sure I like that."

Hermione choked back a sob, not wanting to believe that her mentor could really not remember anything about herself. Thankfully at that moment she heard a commotion from the other room as both Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore came bustling in.

"Miss Granger?!" Madam Pomfrey called frantically.

"In here!" Hermione almost smacked her head. She realized she hadn't given any details with her message, only that it was pertinent that the two of them come right away. "Everything's fine. I didn't mean to worry you."

It looked like Pomfrey was about to start ranting as she burst through the door, but Dumbledore was quicker. "Nothing to fret over, my dear, but please do tell us what is so urgent."

Hermione found she couldn't find the words, so she merely pointed towards the bed where Minerva was now sitting up against the head of the bed, eyes wide.

Pomfrey gasped. "Minerva! Oh, it's so good to see you awake!" She rushed over to the bed, intent on hugging the ebony-haired witch, but stopped just short of touching her when the other woman flinched away from her. "Are you alright, dear?"

Minerva glanced to Hermione, unsure, causing both of them to miss the looks of hurt and speculation that crossed the faces of Pomfrey and Dumbledore, respectively. "She woke up a few minutes ago and it scared the crap out of me. She seems to be okay physically, but she doesn't have any memory of who she, or anyone else, is."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I was afraid of this. It's one of the outcomes that Healer McCallum warned us of." He addressed Minerva. "Hello, Minerva. My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster here at Hogwarts."

Minerva smiled briefly. "Then, if I understand correctly, you're my boss."

Albus laughed. "Yes, my dear. Though it often feels like quite the opposite."

Minerva look puzzled and not a little disgusted, though she was trying not to offend the older man. "We're not _together_, are we?"

The entire room erupted in laughter, but it was Albus who spoke first. "Oh, no, my dear. We have just been very good friends for a very long time."

Minerva visibly relaxed, much to Albus' chagrin and the amusement of Hermione and Pomfrey. She then turned to the Mediwitch appraisingly. "We don't have some weird boss/not boss relationship, do we?"

Pomfrey smirked and winked. "You wish. I'm Poppy Pomfrey, the resident Healer here at Hogwarts." She paused. "As far as I am aware, you are not involved with anyone."

Minerva grinned, very like a certain purple cat, and did her damnedest not to look at Hermione.

Albus cleared his throat. "Well, it appears everything is in order then. I will contact Healer McCallum to come by tomorrow for a check up and then we can go from there. Is that agreeable with you, Minerva?" She agreed that it was. "Good. Then I suggest we all give Minerva some space." He shooed Poppy out of the door and then looked back at Hermione. "Due to the current circumstances, I won't expect that list until tomorrow evening. Goodnight, ladies."

They responded in kind, then, reluctantly, Hermione turned her desk back into the nightstand it used to be while Minerva watched, then the older woman spoke. "You don't have to do that. Surely you have work still to do."

Hermione ducked her head, embarrassed. "Well, yes, but it wouldn't be right to continue invading your space. Don't you want your privacy back?"

"Hmm, yes, I suppose I would. I feel like I am usually a very private person." She cocked her head to one side. "But I don't think I would mind so much if you're the one invading it."

The blush that crept up Hermione's neck would have put a Weasley to shame. Was Minerva seriously _flirting_ with her? "Oh, well, um," she cleared her throat. "I still think it's better. You need to get reacquainted with yourself and I wouldn't want to hinder that."

A sheaf of parchment fluttered to the ground and Minerva bent quickly to pick it up. When she handed it to Hermione their fingers touched and instantly Minerva was hit with a surprisingly powerful string of memories.

_Minerva handing the Hogwarts' acceptance letter to Hermione in her parents' den, long fingers brushing small ones._

_Handing back the first perfect essay in Hermione's first year, fingers brush again._

_Taking the mirror out of Hermione's hand in her second year._

_Wrapping Hermione's fingers around the Time Turner at the beginning of her third year._

_Lowering Hermione into the lake for the second challenge of the Triwizard Tournament, scared for her._

_Holding Hermione's hand in hers as Poppy healed her wounds after the disastrous trip to the Department of Mysteries._

_And then the briefest flicker of Hermione's concerned voice trying to reach her through the darkness after she had been thrown back those Stunners._

Minerva gasped and dropped her hand as if she had been stunned, effectively breaking contact, then sat heavily on the bed. "Hermione Jean Granger." She whispered, taking the younger witch by surprise. "Sixth Year student at Hogwarts. Star pupil." She grimaced. "And certainly not someone I should have been flirting with." She hung her head, ashamed. "No wonder you cannae wait to leave this room. Please forgive an old woman. I didn't know."

Hermione knelt in front of Minerva, took her hands into one of her own, and used the other to gently wipe the tears that were beginning to flow down her mentor's face. "There is nothing to forgive, Minerva. Until this very moment, you thought me to be the teacher's assistant I said I was. And while it's true that I am also a Sixth Year student, I am almost and adult. Please do not berate yourself for the actions you took."

Minerva smiled ruefully. "Aye, well, I'm afraid it's too late for that. That little trip down memory lane seems to have brought back to me a little of who I was." She frowned a little. "With that being the case, I suppose it would be a good idea for you to find another work location."

Hermione nodded sullenly, as if that hadn't been her original intention. "Of course, Professor. I will also arrange for Pippy to help me move back to the dorm."

Minerva's eyes widened in surprise. "You've been sleeping here, too?!"

Unable to keep the hurt off of her face, Hermione replied. "Not here, no. Headmaster Dumbledore added a room next to yours so I could keep an eye on you. But it's obviously not necessary anymore. O I will be out of your hair by dinner." Before Minerva could respond, Hermione turned and fled out of her quarters.

Minerva sighed deeply and let her head fall into her hands. _Old fool_, she thought to herself. _Just because Hermione is underage_\- for two more months -_doesn't mean we can't be friends, especially not if she's supposed to be assisting me in class. How is she supposed to do that if you're going to talk to her as a child?_ Groaning, Minerva stood. She had to go find the younger woman and apologize. With a sinking feeling, she realized the entirety of her memory of the castle had not yet returned. She could find the Great Hall, the Infirmary, and her own rooms, but she didn't think she could figure out anything else. Panic started to set in. What if Hermione didn't come back? She didn't know who to turn to. That Dumbledore fellow might be able to help, but she didn't know where to begin to look for him. Thankfully, it seemed like her memory of magic was completely intact. She cast a Patronus and sent it with a message to Dumbledore, watching the silver tabby dart from the room with a fond smile gracing her lips.

* * *

Hermione looked up from her notes when she heard the soft sound of footfall coming around the corner. She should have known she couldn't hide from him, especially not here, but maybe she had hoped he would have given her more time to think before coming to find her. She sighed before looking up to see Albus come around the corner. "I know, I shouldn't have left like I did."

Albus smiled at her, then took a seat next to her. "I do not know the details of what happened between you, she only said that she was worried because you left so abruptly and asked that I please come speak with you."

Hermione grimaced. She felt bad for the way she had acted, but it really had hurt her feelings. "I'll head back soon. But first, here's the list of students that I think would be best suited for the Apprentice-ship program." She handed over a sheaf of parchment that had every subject, who the current professor was, and who she thought would be the best match.

"Thank you, Hermione. I will be sure to look this over later." He stowed the paper in his robes. "I will leave you now as I have some other business to attend."

He began to stand up, but Hermione's question stopped him. "You aren't going to lecture me about how I acted?"

Dumbledore's eyes pierced hers. "I hardly think that's necessary. You are almost an adult and you know what you've done. I will let you figure out where you need to go from here." And with that, he stood and disappeared quickly from her sight.

* * *

Sheepishly, Hermione stepped through the portrait hole after Godric let her through. She wasn't sure what this confrontation was going to entail, but she agreed with Albus. Minerva needed someone close to her who wouldn't fly off the handle every time she said something questionable.

Hermione was surprised to see the woman in question sitting at her desk, her head in her hands. "Minerva?" She whispered, not wanting to disturb the older woman if she didn't want to be bothered.

Minerva's head jerked up and Hermione was surprised to see that her eyes were red and there were tracks from tears down her face. "Hermione." Minerva croaked out, then rose from her seat to swiftly make way over and gather Hermione into a fierce hug. "Oh, Hermione. I'm so sorry."

Hermione returned the hug, holding tightly onto the older woman. "It's alright, Minerva. It can't be easy going through what you have. Please, don't worry about it." She pulled away and brought a hand up to wipe away a few more tears that had leaked from emerald eyes. "If anything, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn't have run out like I did. I should have stayed and talked about it."

Minerva smiled. "I don't think either of us was much up to talking about anything earlier. I said some pretty hurtful things and I apologize." She wrapped her hand around Hermione's arm. "Forgive an old fool?"

"No need. There are no old fools around here. Albus left ages ago." Hermione winked, eliciting a laugh from Minerva. "Now, I do have a little bit of work I need to finish up next year if we're done with the sappy stuff."

Minerva let her hand drop and gestured towards the desk. "Of course, by all means."

Hermione glanced over and it hit her that with Minerva awake now, they would need more than one desk. She disappeared into her own little bedroom and came back levitating a nightstand. "I really only need one in there," she said by way of explanation, then proceeded to transfigure the nightstand into a desk that she positioned facing Minerva's. This would allow them to easily chat with each other while they worked on their own projects.

"I think this will work wonderfully," Minerva stated as she walked back towards her own desk. "Maybe you will be able to help me with some of the curricula for next term before it gets here. I'm not entirely sure what the plan is there."

Hermione smiled. "Well, Albus came up with a wonderful program that will help with this. A few select Sixth Years will be chosen to assist the professors for their classes for the younger years, say, First and Second. This will enable me to work closely with you without raising suspicion and will be a wonderful opportunity for any students that may have an interest in teaching. I hope it works because I would love to see this practice continued even after you're feeling better."

The smile crept unbidden to Minerva's face while she watched the spark of interest grow in Hermione's eyes. "That's a wonderful idea. I assume he's already chosen the students to participate?"

"No, not yet, but I did give him a list of suggestions, per his request. He thinks since I've been around most of them for the longest I would have the best idea who would work with each professor."

"That sounds logical. Hardly like Albus at all."

Hermione's eyebrow quirked. "So you're remembering a little what he's like?"

Minerva grinned. "Yes, quite a bit of Albus' mannerisms and past exploits are coming back to me. Merlin help me." She caught Hermione's eye and they both burst out in laughter as they headed to their respective desks to buckle down on lesson plans.


End file.
